As we close in on mere weeks until another exciting MLB season, the Toronto Blue Jays are assessing their roster and what it will look like once the games start counting in the standings.

Like most teams, the Jays are using the exhibition schedule as an open competition for a few spots and will use a rotation of players at designated hitter.  Here is what that distribution could look like once the regular season starts on March 27.

When the Blue Jays signed Santander to a five-year, $92.5M this offseason, no one thought that was a move that would improve their defense! It’s true, Santander has been in the majors since 2017 and has only sported a dWAR above 0.0, a 0.7 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. The signing marked an effort to increase power but also moved away from acquisitions like Kevin Kiermaier and Isiah Kiner-Flaefa, which were made with run-prevention in mind.

Santander is a capable outfielder in the corners, but it’s hardly his calling card. He’s a throwback to big-bodied mashers of yore, who managers would always try to find a spot for. The 30-year-old’s commanding presence in the lineup, likely hitting cleanup behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the main reason he was brought into the fold, and he’s projected to see the most time at DH this season. Clubbing 30+ home runs in the past three seasons while being able to swing from both sides of the plate, Santander makes a lot of sense for the Blue Jays as their go-to DH option.

Springer’s time in the outfield has decreased over the last couple of seasons, from 131 games in 2023, to 124 a year ago, and that trend will almost certainly continue this season. The 35-year-old’s offensive production has also faded in recent years with his OPS+ falling from 132 in 2022, to 102 in ’23, to just 92 in ’24. He’s been vocal about turning things around at the plate this season, and a more deliberate approach to giving him some time off his feet could help with the bat too. He’s had some bad luck at times but overall, the bat is trending in the wrong direction late in his deal.

Springer appears to be heading in a direction where he will be logging some innings in left field, a position where he’s made one appearance in his MLB career, and all signs point to the longtime Astros star not hitting in the leadoff position to at least start the year. This could be a season that the six-year, $150M contract Springer signed before the 2021 campaign, really starts to drag. But the right number of half-days off and the challenge of learning a new position could give the veteran a spring in his step and if he can find his 2021 form, the bat will seriously play alongside Guerrero and Santander this season.

Guerrero has averaged 28.5 appearances at DH per season since 2019, and he figures to get about the same this upcoming season. In previous seasons, Vladdy had a dedicated backup at his adopted position (Spencer Horwitz, Brandon Belt, Cavan Biggio) with Will Wagner the most likely candidate to support depth at the corner infield spots in 2025 (although Santander can fit in a pinch as well). Wagner’s inexperience at first base may mean more starts for Guerrero, but he’s their star player and will require rest, even if he doesn’t like it.

A more probable reason for Vlad getting fewer reps at DH? His production plummeted in 2024 while not playing the field. In 114 at-bats as a DH, the 26-year-old amassed a .263 batting average with six homers compared to hitting .330 with 23 home runs (in 454 ABs) as a first baseman.

Alejandro Kirk is projected to receive the most playing time of his career behind the plate, with manager John Schneider ballparking approximately 115 starts for the Tijuana native. With all that time working with the pitching staff, will Kirk be considered much for DH time? He does if he’s swinging a hot bat like he did to finish off 2024. Over his last 57 games, Kirk hit .291 with 17 extra-base hits, 36 RBI, and a .752 OPS. Keeping his name off the lineup card will be tough if he can play with that level of consistency.

Star shortstop Bo Bichette hopes to prove that he can return to the dynamic player who starred for the Jays from 2021-23, and part of his future success could be getting some rest here and there. The most time the 26-year-old has played at DH was 11 appearances in 2021. If he logs more time as a part-timer in 2025, he must produce more than the .156/.225/267 slash line as a DH that season.

Wagner looked like a professional hitter during his brief stint at the major league level last season, and if he keeps that up, he could find himself moving up a tier or two. Wager hit .305, with a pair of homers, six doubles, 11 RBI, and a .788 OPS over 24 games in 2024 while primarily playing second base. With the opportunities at that position dried up with the acquisition of Andres Gimenez, Wagner could find himself as a regular in the DH rotation.

Rounding out the group is Orelvis Martinez, who is looking to make a splash after missing most of last season due to PED suspension. Martinez is a power hitter by trade and has led the Jays farm system on numerous occasions in terms of roundtrippers. That being said, his glove still needs some work and some more seasoning in triple-A may be in the cards. If the Blue Jays are truly going for it this season and Martinez keeps up his strong spring (.300 average with one double and one home run), he will easily find his way into the lineup. To accomplish this, Martinez would slot into the DH spot, pushing Santander to a corner outfield spot.